For everyone *but* the scottish lads :)

[FreudianSlip]

From visordown today:

POLICE are launching a new ?Think Bike? campaign targeting both riders and drivers to ?increase awareness? and ?offer additional training?.
The campaign has been launched across a number of regions including Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire.
Meanwhile police in North Wales have launched an operation targeting motorcyclists on a number of popular biking routes.
Vicki Bristow, communications manager for the West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership, said: "Both Warwickshire and West Mercia are popular with bikers and many riders are attracted to the area, particularly at weekends and when the weather is good.
"We?re aiming to make motorcyclists and other road users more aware of the risks that are present when they are out on the roads and to help us reduce the amount of collisions that take place."
Roadside posters are being put up on popular motorcycle routes where crashes have occurred in the last three years and riders are being urged to check their bikes are roadworthy after winter storage.
Riders are also being offered a ?Take Control? motorcycle skills enhancement course.

North Wales Police?s ?Operation Darwen? will target the A494 between Dolgellau and Bala; the A525 from Ruthin to Bwlchgwyn; the A525/A539 between Ruabon, Overton and Redbrook; the A5 between Betws-y-Coed and Corwen; the A543 between Denbigh and Pentrefoelas; and the A5104/A494 Bryneglwys to Corwen.
A route known as the ?Evo Triangle? incorporating the A483, A5 and B4501 will also be patrolled as part of the operation, which runs until autumn.

 

[JimmyMac]

Looks like the English forces are taking the more "Educate" approach as opposed to the "Enforce" approach that the Welsh Police chiefs have become infamous for.
Hope everyone enjoys their bikes this year and all have an uneventful time with the cameras etc.

JimmyMac

 

[stuartb]

We have nought up here like that. Thats 50 quid well spent id say... even the course they put you on if your caught speeding.. its an excellent option rather than just slap points on you..

Sent from Galaxy S7

 

[soofsayer]

I think it's guff when they say they are educating other road users also. Exactly how?

Its a crack down on bikers.

Casualty age and crash types

A study (Clarke et al 2004) has indicated that there are 2 clear peaks in casualty age (21-25 & 31-35) and that there are 3 basic discernable motorcycle crash types:

- Right of way violation accidents (38% of cases)
- Loss of control at bends at speed (11% plus of cases)
- Overtaking/filtering accidents (15% of cases)

Clarke et al found that road users other than the injured motorcyclists are usually the cause of crashes and therefore road safety initiatives should be targeted at those other road users in addition to bikers.

 

[stuartb]

Interesting Soof.. I agree with your opening comment regarding the education thing..total smokescreen.

Sent from Galaxy S7

 

[JimmyMac]

Andy, I was referring to the 3 E's of road safety. Education, engineering and enforcement. Reading the English approach in Freudys original post it mentioned putting up posters, encouraging riders to check bikes after winter storage and offering safety courses. All great things which you will not be offered in Scotland.
Then I saw the Welsh "targeting" of certain roads, a very different tone.
I totally agree that it is the car, van and four wheeled drivers that need educating in regards to motorbikes, the current bank if questions for the UK car test has very few that pertain to observing motorbikes and the dangers that are posed by negligent drivers.

Hopefully everyone on here has good observations and avoids the texting drivers answering their emails as well as seeing the revenue collector vans/bikes parked up at the side of the roads in plenty of time.

Stay safe.

JimmyMac

 

[soofsayer]

Hi Jimmy, I was commenting on the OP. It probably didn't help my sentiment that I had just got back from a quick trip into town (8 miles round trip) having negotiated two car drivers doing their best to knock me off. It winds me up when the police claim they are educating road users when the reality is clamping down on bikers speeding, the irony being that road users really do need educating, and that would actually be more effective in saving lives as the statistics show.

It also reminds me of an East Yorkshire initiative a few years ago by the police to reduce biker deaths by spending 2 million pounds a year on a helicopter and a couple of unmarked bikes to 'educate' bikers.... it was a huge success apparently, reducing biker deaths by 25%, from 8 to 6. Wow, money well spent.

 

[FreudianSlip]

it was a huge success apparently, reducing biker deaths by 25%, from 8 to 6. Wow, money well spent.

The reductions in biker deaths - is that completely attributable to the ?2M spend, or just a convenient justification?...

I went out for a quick squirt (no, not that type) last night - taking advantage of the clock change and lighter evening and have to say, I didn't have a single issue with dreaming drivers. I say that because it's very much the exception of late. I do feel that these days, rather than going out for a relaxing mind-clearing ride, it's more like playing russian roulette - that'll teach me for going out before 7pm.

 

[JimmyMac]

This is bringing so many memories of when I was on a secondment to the Traffic Dept as part of my promotion process. The Superintendent asked why I had not got the required quota of speeders and seatbelters even though I had caught the most drunk drivers on the shift over a set period.
I explained in front of the rest of the shift that I had carried out such an extensive "education" program that people in my beat no longer sped or forgot to put on seat belts but when they had a drink they were stupid enough to drive.
He was an arse, the system is flawed cops did get pulled up if they never reached targets of speeders, seatbelters and drink drivers (the ones that bring in the most revenue for the least detective work)

I have every faith in the average cop on the street, but they are under so much scrutiny from people who only crunch numbers to make good reading for their overall performance.

Don't even get me started on "Safety camera" vans. If their purpose is to make roads safer, whey are they not parked near primary schools but placed on flyovers of almost straight motorway sections that have a slight bend to prevent the driver seeing them until the last second?

Hahaha, I'm a way for a prozac and a lie doon.

JimmyMac

 

[soofsayer]

The reductions in biker deaths - is that completely attributable to the ?2M spend, or just a convenient justification?...

I went out for a quick squirt (no, not that type) last night - taking advantage of the clock change and lighter evening and have to say, I didn't have a single issue with dreaming drivers. I say that because it's very much the exception of late. I do feel that these days, rather than going out for a relaxing mind-clearing ride, it's more like playing russian roulette - that'll teach me for going out before 7pm.

Justification quite clearly. Freakonomics at its crudest.

I am going to sound very ageist here, but I find the vast majority of problems I have with car drivers is with those of later years.

Evening rides are the best I agree .